USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Douglas > Town Annual Report of the Officers of the Town of Douglas, for the year ending 1909 > Part 3
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RURAL SCHOOL CONDITIONS.
Through the wisdom and foresight of the townspeople in the past the schools at East Douglas are unusually well consolidated and pro- vided for, and I doubt very much if many of the people who once opposed the plan would now be willing to go back to the old conditions. Those old conditions, however. still exist at the Cen- ter, So. Douglas, and West Douglas, and as a result the progress made by the children in these schools, particularly in the last two, is not nearly so great as is made by the children in the graded schools. This is not a matter of theory, but of fact and observa- tion, and the condition is more or less chronic. How is it to be remedied? I can suggest but one way, and that is by gathering the children from these three schools into a Primary and a Grammar room at the Center. While to make the plan as great a success as possible, it would be desirable to provide a modern two room building, this would not be necessary for the present, as very likely a room in some private house for the primary grades could be rented.
12
Nor should the added cost for making the change be prohibitive, as the saving in the salary of one teacher and in the care and mainten- ance of school houses, should very nearly if not entirely pay the costs of transportation; and these costs should not be great, as the distance of either of the two small schools from the Center is not over two miles and the numbers of children are only 11 and 16. The dis- tances being so short the ride in the barge should not be a great disadvantage, if careful drivers could be secured. Indeed there would be some advantages, as many of the children who now have to walk a long way to school could be carried at least a part of the way, and a child would be safer under the care of a good driver than alone on a country road. Moreover, it would be entirely possible to arrange to have one of the teachers board at South Douglas and ride back and forth with the children, if this seemed desirable. The advantages which would result from making the change are in part as follows :-
Better trained teachers on an average More permanent teachers Better graded schools Better equipment
Better attendance ( The attendance in these rural schools is poor. ) See tables A. and B.
Longer recitation periods More individual attention
More interest and enthusiasm, because of the larger num- bers in the classes.
Instruction in Music and Drawing More careful supervision
And as a total result of the change, from 25 to 50 per cent better progress than is now being made.
Whether or not the parents in the vicinity of these schools would care to have the change made, I do not know, but I am cer- tain if they realized what a difference it would make to the children, they would be the first ones to desire it. I would at least suggest the advisability of consulting them personally and ascertaining if they are willing to give the plan a trial, with the understanding,
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that if they do not like the way it works out, the old conditions will be restored. I cannot think, however, that they would ever care to have this done, any more than did the people at East Doug- las after they had once made the change there.
DECORATION.
During the fall term two very successful sales and entertain- ments were held, one at East Douglas, and one at the Center, to secure money to buy pictures for the schoolrooms. The teachers worked hard and the townspeople patronized the affairs so gener- ously that the following sums were netted: for the East Douglas School, $91.26, and for the Douglas Center School, $21.25. Af- ter considering carefully the questions of grade appropriateness, pictures already on hand, and the tastes of the teachers, the follow- ing pictures, mostly Carbon photos were decided upon and pur- chased for the schools as indicated.
EAST DOUGLAS.
Garde 1 Age of Innocence Sistine Madonna
Grade 2 Can't You Talk? . Cherub Heads
Grade 3 Madonna of the Chair . . . Feeding Her Birds
Grades 4-5. . . . Monarch of the Glen . . The Gleaners Grades 5-6. . Christ and the Doctors. . The Helping Hand Grades 7-8. .. . The Angelus. .. . Return of the Mayflower High School . . Portrait of Lincoln .... Song of the Lark Assistant's Room .. The Parthenon. The Temple of Jupiter Upper Hall The Roman Forum
WEST DOUGLAS SCHOOL.
The Dutch Windmill Baby Stuart
DOUGLAS CENTER SCHOOL.
Portraits of Lincoln and Washington. Monarch of the Glen. Can't You Talk? Niagara Falls. Grand Canal of Venice.
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CONCLUSION.
In conclusion I would express to the committee, teachers and parents my appreciation of the spirit of harmony and of willingness to do one's whole duty by the schools that is so evident on every hand. So long as it continues, the town cannot fail to have good schools, and cannot fail to improve.
Respectfully submitted,
EDWIN S. COBB,
Superintendent of Schools.
East Douglas, Feb. 18, 1909.
Table A. Douglas School Statistics, 1907-1908.
SCHOOL
TEACHER
WHERE EDUCATED
Salary per week paid
No. of weeks kept
Legal time, mo's, days
Under 5. Boys
5-15 Boys
5-15 Girls
Over 15. Boys
Over 15. Girls
Total Boys
Total Girls
7-14 Boys
7-14 Girls
Total Membership
Average Membership
Average Attendance
Per cent. of Attendance
Tardiness
Dismissals
Number of Visitors
Visits of Superintendent
High
Edith M. Fogg, Asst Boston University
10.00
40 8-18
0
24
18
12
0: 0)
14
14
12
24
22 36 23
41
92
72
34
5
1
Marjorie Doherty. . Lowell Normal ....
10.50
22
10.50
36 8-17
26
0
0
26
25
19
49
43
40
93
50
12 8
66
66
66
II ...
Etta H. Johnson ...
10.00
36,8-17
21
15
0
21
15
16
14
30
28
94
53
27
8
I . . .
Blanche Blackburn . M. Belle Brown.
10.00
36,8-18
0
14
11
0
0
21 14
35 11
4 9
8
25
23
91
23
34
48 12
So. Douglas, Mixed .
Ethel Partridge. .. Elinor May Shaw. .
10.00
29
8-17
13
6
0
0
13
61
13
6
20
14
11
76
92
16
3
W. Douglas, Mixed ..
Mabel Manahan ... Alma Quintal . ....
8.50
25
0
8
91
1
8
10
5
7
18
14
12
0
0.
20 10
I1
0
1
368 8-17
0 0 171 151 2 16 173 167 133 121 385 302 279 921 647 760 249 81
66
Euna L. Buffington Doug. High School
10.00
36 8-17 36|8-17 5
9 8-17
27
0
0
27
20
26
18
49
43
Doug. High School Doug. High School Woburn High " Farming'n, Me. Nor Truro, N. S. Nor. Thayer Academy . Doug. High School Doug. High School
10.00
36|8-17
0
21
35
0
0
14
37 56 30
46
43
91
55
20
11 7
Center, Mixed .
J. F. Brackett, Prin. Bates College ....
$25.00
40
0
0
3
1. 13 1 2
4 25
18 20 12
4
8
24 39
92 140
50
45 8
E Doug. Gr. VII-VIII M. Louise Doherty
Tufts College ...
12.00
0
14
93 102 152 11 18 95 31|360| 54| 6
K. Helena Wixtead Doug. High School
10.50
Gr. IV-V Loretta Morrison. . Worcester Normal
10.50
66
III-IV Edith Abbott.
20
20
0
96 36
10.00
16
8-17
00
Under 5. Girls
Enrolment
1
87
0
17 15
32 47 27
Table B. Rank of the Schools in Attendance and Punctuality, 1907-1908.
ATTENDANCE
PUNCTUALITY
RANK
SCHOOL
PER CENT.
RANK
SCHOOL
AVERAGE TARDINESS
1
Douglas, Grade VI
95.
West Douglas ..
0
I6
.9
2 2345 4 5
E. Douglas Grammar School, Gr. VII-VIII
92.8
E. Douglas, Grade VI .
1.21
6
Douglas, Grades IV-V .
92.3
E. Douglas, Grades IV-V.
.
2.2
8
Douglas Centre ..
91.4
East Douglas, Grades VII-VIII ..
2.6
9
West Douglas
87
High .
So. Douglas, Grades I-VIII ...
6.4
10
South Douglas
76.4
10
123456789 1 5 1 6 S 9 2
Douglas Centre
1.18
E. Douglas, Grades III-IV
93.1
E. Douglas, Grade I
1.2
High
93.
E. Douglas, Grade II
1.6
E. Douglas, Grade I
91.5
E. Douglas, Grades III-IV
5.7
E. Douglas, Grade II .
93.9
I 7
REPORT OF HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPAL
Mr. E. S. Cobb, Superintendent of Schools.
DEAR SIR:
The new course of study, adopted for the High School, has been in operation since last Fall and is giving very general satis- faction. The pupils, both by diligence and application during school hours and by loyal response to the demand for home study have helped in securing satisfactory results.
The requirements in English History, and Latin have been raised to meet the regular High School standard. The introduc- tion of Commercial subjects and of French, and the strengthening of the science courses have more closely adapted the school to the needs of the community.
The large number of boys now attending the school is en- couraging, but we wish that more parents would realize that the High School offers something of practical value to the boys.
The general conduct of the pupils throughout the building has been of a high order. Excellence in this matter has been made possible by hearty co-operation of the teachers.
I would call the attention of parents to the fact that visitors are welcome in the schools at all times. An occasional visit by a parent, especially during the early part of the year, cannot but prove helpful to parent, child, and teacher. This holds true for all the grades.
In conclusion we are glad to acknowledge our indebtedness to the School Committee and the Superintendent. Their courtesy and generous support have contributed largely to such success as has attended our efforts.
Very Respectfully Submitted, CHAS. E. DISNEY.
January 27, 1909.
Principal of High School.
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REPORT OF SUPERVISOR OF MUSIC.
To the Superintendent and School Committee of the town of Douglas
I herewith respectfully submit my third report as supervisor of music in the schools.
From our last report till the end of school year the work in music has been much the same as previously reported. A steady gain has been made in the grade work.
Owing to ill health, a six months leave of absence was grant- ed me, consequently from September to January 1, 1909, music was carried on in the schools by their respective teachers.
Since my return I have observed great interest and eagerness to grasp and master new phases of the work.
We are still laboring under the difficulty of making a small number of books serve a large number of pupils.
In the High School better work is being done than ever be- fore, a regular study period now being observed.
I wish to thank all those who so kindly granted me a leave of absence, and all the teachers who have so faithfully assisted me in every way.
Respectfully,
ADDIE L. SWEET,
Supervisor of Music.
February 9, 1909.
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Report of School Committee
The Committee and Superintendent have held monthly meetings as in the preceding year.
The most important change which has taken place the past year was caused by the resignation of our Superintendent, Mr. Francis S. Brick, who accepted a more advantageous offer from the town of Maynard. To fill the position, left vacant for the first time in seven years, the joint committee of Uxbridge and Douglas secured Mr. Edwin S. Cobb of Dighton.
CHANGES IN TEACHING FORCE.
Resignations-John F. Brackett, Miss Edith A. Fogg, Miss Louise Doherty, High School; Miss Ida L. Rollins, Grades VII and VIII ; Miss Blanche Blackburn, Grade I; Miss Elinor M. Shaw, South Douglas ; Miss Mabel Manahan, West Douglas.
Transfers-Miss Louise Doherty, from VII and VIII Grades to assistant position in High School; in January, Miss Marjorie Doherty, from Grade V to VII and VIII.
Elections-Charles E. Disney, as principal of High School ; in January, Miss Miriam Harris elected to assistant position in place of Miss Louise Doherty, resigned ; Miss Ida L. Rollins, Grades VII and VIII; in January, Miss Mary Waldo, to Grade V in place of Miss Marjorie Doherty, transferred; Miss Oda Ware, Grade I; Miss Mabel Cromb, South Douglas ; Miss Mollie Kelly, West Douglas. In January, Miss Mabel Cromb
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gave up the work at South Douglas because of sickness ; Miss Elinor M. Shaw was secured for the place.
Miss Addie Sweet, our music instructor, was given a leave of absence until January 1st. The teachers carried on the work un- til that time.
Extensive repairs have been made at Old Douglas. At East Douglas the vaults and roof have been fixed and some work has been done at West Douglas.
The high school calendar was the same as last year. The elementary schools opened one week earlier in September.
The Committee wish to thank Mr. W. W. Emerson for the interest manifested by his gift of Prism and Lenses to the high school.
We received in November our first five hundred ($500) dol- lars from the State, under the statute which provides that a town of less than five hundred families, maintaining a high school which meets requirements, shall be entitled to that amount.
Attention is called to a change in the time of blowing the " no school" signal which indicates " no school" for the afternoon session. The three blasts will be given at 11.15 a. m. instead of 12.15 p. m.
For the ensuing year the following appropriations are asked for :
Public schools including transportation. . $5,500 00
Books and supplies 400 00
For superintendent. 360 00
Repairs 300 00
School physician. 50 00
$6,610 00
Respectfully submitted,
LUCIUS J. MARSH,
EDWARD T. BUXTON,
Superintending
GILBERT W. ROWLEY, ) Committee.
P
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